


DC Rain II - Double or Nothing (7/9)

by thebasement_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-02-01
Updated: 2002-02-01
Packaged: 2018-11-20 15:30:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11338278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebasement_archivist/pseuds/thebasement_archivist
Summary: Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived atThe Basement, which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onThe Basement's collection profile.





	DC Rain II - Double or Nothing (7/9)

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Basement](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Basement), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Basement's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thebasement/profile).

D.C Rain II - Double or Nothing (7/9)

## D.C Rain II - Double or Nothing (7/9)

by Aries

Title: D.C Rain II - Double or Nothing (7/9)  
Author: Aries  
Feedback to:   
Author's Website:   
Status: Complete  
Category: Unclassified  
Pairing (Primary): Mulder/Krycek  
Pairing(s) (Secondary):   
Crossover Fandom (if any):   
Crossover Info (if any):   
Other Pairing Info:   
Rating: NC-17  
Spoilers:   
Permission to Archive:   
Series or Sequel/Prequel:   
Notes:   
Warnings:   
Disclaimer: 

Summary: 

D.C. Rain II - Double or Nothing  
by Aries  
Part 7 

* * *

Black turned to gray, and then a hazy light filtered in through the curtain of Fox's lashes as he opened his eyes. 

He hadn't meant to fall asleep. Hadn't thought he would, but he'd been more tired than he'd thought, he supposed. And the warmth and comfort of Alex's body pressed back into his had definitely helped to relax him enough to put him out. 

Now, the vibrating of his cell phone drew him out of his soft, quiet paradise. Shifting too quickly, his movement disturbed Alex's sleep, and the younger man sighed and turned onto his back as Fox raised the phone to his ear. 

"Mulder." 

He kissed the sable eyelashes as they fluttered and began to rise. 

"Hmm?" 

"Go back to sleep." 

"Mulder?" 

"Yeah, Im here," Fox answered as he stroked Alex's chest. "What's going on?" 

"I've got the pictures and also the negatives." 

"All right...that's fine. So I'll hopefully at least have time to move in to the apartment." 

"What do you...oh, I get it, Krycek's there." 

"Yeah. The apartment manager called right after you left. Said the apartment was ours." 

"Really. Well...good. Uh, listen. If you want, and if Krycek doesn't mind, I'd be happy to give you a hand moving. I'm sure you want to get it done as quickly as possible." 

"Thanks for the offer. I'll have to get back to you on that." 

"...I assume I'll see you sometime tomorrow?" 

"Yeah. You'll be in the office all day?" 

"I believe so." 

"All right then. You'll hear from me at some point during the day." Fox looked down at Alex, who was now wide awake and staring back up at him. "Goodnight." 

Disconnecting, he turned his full attention on his lover. 

"You were unconscious," he informed Alex, grinning as he brushed a few wild hairs away from the younger man's forehead. 

"You wore me out," Alex answered hoarsely. Frowning, he cleared his throat and spoke again. 

"So was...damn. What the hell happened to my voice?" 

Fox laughed softly. "Apparently you aren't aware of the amount of noise you sometimes make." 

"God," the younger man croaked and attempted once more to clear his throat. "Anyway...that was Skinner?" 

"Yeah. He's got some more people to talk to before he decides whether or not I get that case. I figure we'd better go get a Ryder truck tomorrow and start hauling some of our stuff over to the new place. And uh...Skinner offered to help." 

Alex's gaze dropped from Fox's face. "He did?" 

"Yeah. I thanked him and said I'd have to get back to him on it." 

"Should we take him up on it?" 

"It's your call." 

Alex shrugged. "I don't know, Fox. Can't you make the decision?" 

"Not without your okay, no." 

"But I don't know. I mean, I guess it would be good to have an extra pair of hands. And I did say that I was okay with living in the same building with him. I guess it's just that it'll seem kind of weird to have him banging around with our stuff...you know, like we were all bosom buddies or something." 

"Okay." Fox kissed the side of Alex's nose. "I'll tell him thanks but no thanks. We'll do it ourselves." 

Alex fell silent for a while, content to feel his lover's body brushing his, then he looked up at Fox, drawing the older man's attention to his face. 

"Okay, that's just stupid." 

"What is?" 

"Not accepting Skinner's help. We really could use it." 

"We can handle it ourselves." 

"Yeah, but it'll go faster if there are three of us instead of two. If he really wants to help, let's let him. It'll provide us both with kind of a safe environment, where we can get a little better acquainted. Maybe then things won't be so uncomfortable." 

"You think?" 

Alex gave the older man a tiny smile. 

"No. But it's worth a shot. Especially if he's the closest thing you've got to a friend left." 

Fox pulled Alex into his arms, laughing softly. 

"I love you." 

The third such proclamation today, and yet it produced exactly the same sensations that the first had stirred up. In truth, his insides melted into his stomach without fail, every time Fox uttered the words. 

Emerald eyes glowed up at the older man, and Alex stretched up for a kiss. He pulled away long seconds later, again lowering himself to the mattress. 

"Those words give me such strength." A bemused smile curled his lips. "And at the same time they make me weak all over." 

"Makes it easier for me to take advantage of you," Fox growled into his lover's ear. 

"Yeah," Alex giggled, squirming as Fox's tongue teased the inside of his ear. "Like it was ever hard. So, listen..." 

"Hmm?" 

"God." Alex pushed against Fox's chest, separating them and putting a stop to the sensations that turned his brain to mush. "Before I completely forget what it was we were talking about; tell Skinner that he can help us move if he really wants to." 

Fox squinted down at the younger man. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yeah. If he wants to haul furniture and throw his back out along with us, who am I to deprive him?" 

"What d'you mean, 'along with us'? I'm a perfect physical specimen. There'll be no throwing out of the back here." 

"Oh," Alex smirked. "Of course." 

"That sounded just a little condescending." Fox flicked the end of Alex's nose, sneering as the other man swatted his hand away. "You don't think I'm in excellent shape?" 

"Sure I do. I am too. God, we'd have to be the way we go at it. But screwing like bunnies and moving a refrigerator are two different types of exercise. There's a science to moving furniture." 

"There's a science to fucking too, babe," Fox purred. "Not everybody can make their lover scream himself hoarse. It takes know how." 

Alex moaned softly, writhing gently against his lover. 

"You know how, baby." 

"Damn right," Fox murmured, brushing his mouth over Alex's. 

"Why don't you show me again?" 

Low, throaty chuckle. "You sure you can take it? You're not going to pass out on me in the middle of it, are you?" Not waiting for an answer, he rattled on. "Maybe we should have something to eat first. You know, build your strength." 

"Hey, wait a minute. I admit you've got a hell of a lot of stamina for a man your age...?" 

"A man my _age_?" 

"...but you're no more resilient than I am." 

Narrowed, hazel eyes stared down at the younger man. 

"Is that right?" 

"Yes, that is right." 

"Look here, baby boy," Fox drawled, "I can fuck you into next week and back, go for a five mile run, stop at the park and play a couple of pick up games, come back, and you'll be right here where I left you, comatose." 

Alex threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh. 

"You don't believe that?" 

The younger man grinned up at his lover. 

"What color is the sky in your world, Fox?" 

"I'm not the one who passed out for two hours this afternoon." 

"Yeah, well I was working all morning and part of the afternoon, hauling stuff around, packing...I haven't gotten a whole lot of sleep the last few days...I've been under a tremendous amount of stress lately..." 

"Oh, I see." 

"Do you dispute any of that?" 

"Not at all. But you're using it as an excuse for your obviously diminishing vitality." He shook his head. "So young, too." 

"Kiss my ass, Mulder. You got nothin' on me." 

"Oh, yeah?" Fox leered. "You wanna go again and see who ends up unconscious for the rest of the night?" 

Alex burst into laughter. "You sound like a nineteen year old, challenging me to a drag race." 

"Guess the old man's in his second childhood. Come on punk," Fox taunted, flicking at one of the younger man's nipples. "Take me on. I promise you'll never know what hit you." 

"I don't want you to hurt yourself." 

"Im not the one who's going to be walking funny tomorrow," Fox answered before shifting so that he was lying fully on top of the other man. His mouth came down on Alex's, surprisingly gentle for all his previous posturing, and Alex responded in kind, winding his arms around his lover's neck. 

Licking and sucking at the lush mouth, he moaned softly, the sound translating into an intense sensation in the pit of Fox's stomach. The older man groaned audibly, deepening the kiss as his hips rocked against the other's. 

The feel of his lover's cock nestled alongside his, rubbing along its length and creating a heat that spread farther than that one location, washed Alex's mind of any residual notions that he would further tease Fox. All he wanted now was his lover everywhere. His hands, his mouth. Skin, soft and satiny smooth, touching his. Hot. Slick and salty with perspiration as he thoroughly and rhythmically fucked Alex into oblivion... 

Fox ended the kiss and smiled down into lust-glazed eyes. 

"This is your first and last opportunity to beg for mercy." 

Alex forced himself to focus on what Fox was saying and not the insistent throb of his cock. 

"What?" 

"From this point on all requests for leniency will be denied. Speak now before time runs out." 

"Fox, I don't..." 

"Tick tock, Alex." 

"What do you mean by..." 

"Oops. Time's up." 

"But you didn't even let me..." 

Fox's mouth muffled the remainder of Alex's words, inflicting a harder, more demanding kiss. Half expecting quiet submission, Alex surprised him, responding with a voracity that froze him for all of three seconds before he recovered and reacted. 

Plunging his fingers into Alex's hair, he dragged his mouth away from the other man's, moving down his chin to his neck, where he found and clamped his mouth over the pounding pulse. 

A harsh grunt rolled in Alex's throat as Fox sucked hard at the fragile skin, and he grasped a handful of hair in an attempt to pull him away. The older man only tightened his hold, emitting a warning growl. 

Alex loosened his grip on Fox's hair, giving his lover just enough slack to think he had given in, then he quickly rolled to his side and dumped Fox onto the mattress. He pressed his advantage, immediately pouncing on the older man, and the struggle for dominance was on. It ended long minutes later with a panting, slightly bruised Fox pinning the snarling younger man to the bed. 

"You're so pretty when you're pissed," Fox taunted as Alex bucked against his weight. He held the other's wrists firmly, pressing his hands into the mattress as he drew his tongue up the side of the stubbled face. His trek ended at Alex's ear, and he lingered there, teasing the interior lightly. 

"So fucking pretty," he whispered as the other man stopped bucking and began to writhe against him. He smiled at the faint whimper and pulled back to look down into eyes almost black with passion. 

"Listen to me." He drew a long breath, attempting to restore some of his composure. "Im going to let you go. Don't move, or I'll leave you hanging, and I know you don't want that." 

Closing his eyes, Alex endured the loss of Fox's warmth as he lay in the same position the older man left him in. He could have taken the opportunity to initiate another power struggle; attack while Fox's back was to him...wear him out then toss him onto his back and fuck him blind, but something held him in his place. When Fox returned, a hard breath pushed past his parted lips. His cock leapt, and he began to whine softly as he arched toward his lover. 

"I'm surprised at you," Fox murmured, placing the objects he'd pulled from his bag on the bed. "I'd fully expected to get jumped the minute I'd turned my back." 

"I thought about it," Alex rasped honestly. 

"What stopped you?" Fox asked, smiling as he secured the younger man's wrists to the bedposts with two silk scarves then unwrapped a condom and rolled it onto his squirming lover's cock. 

"I don't... _shit_ , Fox!" Alex yelled as a leather cock ring encircled the base of his erection. "Come on, this isn't fair!" 

"Easy babe," the older man soothed, stroking Alex's cheek before reaching for another packet. 

The restrained man watched as Fox slipped on his own condom. His eyes grew wider, shifting from Fox's hands to his face then back again, watching as the other man fastened a cock ring on himself as well. 

"Fair now?" Fox asked, attempting to steady his breath as he lay down beside his lover. 

"Not quite," Alex panted, straining against his bonds to emphasize his point, "but better, I...why did you..." 

"Easy. I want to be able to fuck you into tomorrow morning, and you know that isn't going to happen unless I employ a little assistance." 

"So, you're going to torture us both?" 

"Just prolonging the pleasure," Fox whispered, lowering his head to lick a stiff nipple. 

"You're fucking nuts," the younger man gasped then trained a hazy gaze on the other. "Jesus, I love you." 

"Is that why you're not fighting me?" Fox purred as he teased the other nipple. "Because you love me?" 

"Yes," Alex answered through clenched teeth. "And because you can too easily turn me into a big puddle of warm goo." 

The vibration of Fox's chuckle against his sensitized flesh made Alex moan. 

"Good thing you don't actually look like warm goo. It's not a pretty image." 

Alex gasped sharply and arched up off of the mattress as Fox's teeth closed around the hard nub and pulled. 

" _Christ_." 

Pulling harder before he let go, Fox gave the younger man a sweet smile. 

"Still love me?" 

"Always." 

" _Really_. Hmm. Even if I teased you all night then left you unsatisfied all day tomorrow?" 

"You wouldn't." 

"I might. Would you still love me?" 

Alex looked up at Fox with an expression that spoke of deepening frustration and unconcealed adoration. 

"I'll love you till I die. Which, if you do that to me, might be tomorrow." 

"You won't die," Fox promised, flicking his tongue rapidly over the nipple. "You might want to kill me..." 

"Yeah, right," Alex breathed. "I just think you like to make me beg." 

"Mmm hmm." Fox worked his way down Alex's chest, pausing to explore the younger man's navel. "I love it when you're submissive." He was on the move again, following the light trail of hair to Alex's crotch. "Because I know that you want to surrender to me. I know how good it feels to you." 

Alex's hips rose involuntarily as Fox nuzzled the thatch of dark hair. 

"It does," he whispered on a shaken breath. "I can't believe the way you make me feel. Oh... _God_." The capability of speech left him as Fox grazed the length of his restrained cock with his lips then closed them over the latex-sheathed head. 

A couple of deep breaths, and Fox deep throated his lover in one move, sending Alex's blood pressure skyrocketing. Loud, pleading sobs rang in his ears as he slowly lifted his head, letting his tongue dance along the distended vein on the underside of the shaft. As he reached the end of his journey, he lashed quickly at the head, drawing coarser, more desperate cries from the other man. 

"Fox, please...please," Alex cried, finding his voice. "I can't. Don't make me, please." 

"If you really mean that," Fox offered, licking the swollen shaft, "if you really want to end this right now, we will." 

No answer aside from choking gasps. 

"Alex?" 

The patch of skin between Alex's eyebrows creased as it so often did when the younger man was troubled, angry or confused. 

"You're not...not hurting?" 

"I am," Fox assured his distressed lover. "But I can deal with it. My cock wasn't down your throat." He kissed the flared head. "I won't make you take more than you're able to." He grinned. "Not much more, anyway." 

Sable lashes lifted, but the crease remained as Alex tried to focus on the man now nibbling gently at him. 

Smoky, green and amber eyes returned the stare. 

"Are you mine tonight, Alex?" 

"Every night," Alex moaned. "Every day." 

"I know that, baby. But can I have complete control? Do you trust me to take you as far as I want?" 

Whimpering pitifully, Alex nodded his consent. 

"You don't seem especially sure." 

"It's just...Jesus, Fox, every part of me is throbbing, and I'm afraid I'll..." 

Fox cocked his head, waiting for the rest, but it never came. 

"Afraid you'll what, baby?" he asked, kissing the inside of his lover's thigh. 

Alex shook his head saying nothing. 

"Tell me." 

"Nothing, I...it was nothing." 

"Alex..." 

Licking at his lips, Alex forced himself to look down into his lover's eyes. 

"I don't want to disappoint you. I don't ever want to disappoint you." 

"How could you do that?" 

"I want to take it all...for you, but what if I...if I can't?" 

"Then you can't," Fox said simply, stroking Alex's outer thigh. "I wouldn't be disappointed. It's hardly an insult, baby." He gave the other a beautiful smile. "Hell, I'll probably give in before you do. Nothing in the world is better than being deep inside you when I come. I don't know how long I'm going to be able to keep this thing on before I want to fling it across the room." 

"I don't have that option," Alex countered softly, drawing another smile from the older man. 

"No, you don't, do you?" Fox moved up a bit, resting his cheek just above Alex's cock. "All right, listen. If you can't do it, tell me. Not 'I can't' or anything like that." There was that grin again. "It's too much fun hearing you protest. Maybe a word. Just one word." 

"What word?" 

"I don't know, I...Mulder. Call me by my last name, and I'll put us both out of our misery, okay?" 

Alex drew an unsteady breath and nodded. 

Fox looked up at his lover, utter devotion glowing in his eyes. 

"I love you, Alex." 

Alex's heart pounded in time to the throbbing of his cock, and he closed his eyes as the words washed over him. And then the leisurely pass of his lover's tongue over the inside of his thigh opened them. He lay trembling as Fox moved to the other side, licking and sucking, and when the older man nuzzled the heavy sac that hung between his legs, he yelped softly, desperately wanting the freedom to plunge his fingers into Fox's hair and hold his head there between his thighs. 

Reaching into the pile of items he had dropped down beside Alex's hip, Fox felt around for and found a rubber glove and the lube. As he drew one testicle into his mouth, he worked the glove on then applied some lube to three fingers. 

Oblivious to Fox's actions, Alex writhed and twisted under his careful ministrations, crying out for more as the moist warmth was removed. 

"You liked that?" Fox asked sweetly, briefly taking the other testicle into his mouth. 

" _Yes_." 

Again the other man pulled away, leaving Alex more frustrated than before. 

"You'll like this better," he whispered, brushing his slick fingers over the crevice of his lover's ass. 

"Mmmph...Christ..." 

One finger worked its way in, finding the tense ring hidden between the firm muscles, and Alex bucked, crying out softly. 

"Fox..." 

"I'm wearing a glove," Fox soothed the unvoiced concern. He felt Alex begin to relax a bit, and he pressed in a bit farther, sliding his finger in just up to the second knuckle before stopping. 

"I love watching the expression on your face when I'm making love to you," he murmured. "It's so intense. So beautiful." 

The finger withdrew a bit then slid back in, sinking up to the last knuckle. Alex's mouth fell open on a harsh gasp, and he pushed against his lover's hand, wanting more. 

Fox gladly obliged, pulling back and adding a second finger. The younger man whimpered frantically, rocking now against the welcome intruders. 

"That good, sweetheart?" 

Alex nodded, too dazed to speak, and when Fox added a third, his head snapped back, and he cried out, quivering uncontrollably. 

Pushing as deeply as he could, Fox watched the look of pained ecstasy that contorted his lover's features, and his own body begged for release. But he pushed aside his desires and concentrated on the man lying restrained beside him. 

A loud shriek pierced the air as Fox took Alex's cock into his mouth, and his fingers found that spot that would have sent him right over the edge if not for the cock ring. The tortured man twisted and arched, feeling release so close. So fucking close, but it wouldn't come. 

"Fox," he gasped through gritted teeth, the veins standing out on either side of his throat as he strained to meet that which danced just beyond his reach. "God...oh, God." 

Fox sucked harder, taking Alex's entire length, and the younger man roared in frustration. The sound turned to a desperate sobbing as he pulled ineffectually at the scarves, and he jerked upward, trying to bury himself impossibly deeper in Fox's throat. 

"You're killing me," he choked, incurring nothing more than an aroused groan for his misery. "Fox...Fox, please..." 

Pulling up slowly, Fox teased Alex every inch of the way, then he gently removed his fingers and slithered up the length of his lover's body, coming face to face with him. 

"Fox, please, what?" 

Alex moaned, pressing up against the older man. 

"Feel like..." he opened his eyes and fixed an agonized stare on his lover. "...I'm gonna die." 

"Would I let that happen?" Fox asked, dragging his tongue across Alex's lips. "Hmm?" 

Alex reached up, trying to capture Fox's tongue in his mouth, but the older man was faster, ducking his advance. He whined petulantly, letting his head drop back to the pillows, and Fox smiled down at him. 

"You want to kiss me, baby?" he asked, brushing the tip of his nose over the other man's. 

Displaying a perfectly beautiful pout, Alex nodded up at his lover. 

"How can I refuse you anything when you look at me like that?" Fox asked, lowering his head to take the younger man's mouth. 

Unable to touch his lover, Alex focused all of his concentration on the assets still available to him. Moaning softly, he fed on Fox's lips, sucking and nipping, teasing him with his tongue while he writhed seductively against him. 

Trembling with the force of his own need, Fox pushed his tongue into Alex's open mouth, scouring the soft interior as his hands wandered over his lover's hot skin. His bound cock, wedged between them pressed hard into the other's belly as Alex's did to his, and both ached for relief. But until Alex gave the word... _if_ Alex gave the word, there would be no respite for either of them. 

// _You_ could stop it.// 

Fox laughed to himself. 

//Oh, no. He's not ready to pass out yet. You want to be good and sure that when you're done with him he's going to be out for the rest of the night. You'll show him what a man your age can do.// 

That he did. 

Into the small hours of the morning, over and over again, Fox pushed himself and Alex right to the brink of total devastation. Only the cock rings they still wore kept them from the bliss each man so desperately longed for. 

Now, with his endurance reaching its limits, and Alex's wild thrashing and cursing beginning to subside, Fox decided that they'd both had more than enough. 

Alex watched, whining hopefully as the older man carefully removed his own cock ring. 

"Jesus," Fox whispered through his teeth. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he opened his eyes and looked down into the tormented features of his lover and offered a pained grin. "That was rough." He reached for the leather strap around Alex's cock, incurring a grateful sob from his lover. 

"Breathe, Alex. Deep breaths and relax." 

Alex obeyed the whispered command, and several difficult moments later his cock ring lay on the nightstand beside Fox's. 

"Are you ready, baby?" Fox asked, looking down at his lover through a heavy curtain of lashes. 

Alex strained ineffectually against his restraints. 

" _Yes_." 

"I didn't think you'd last this long." He swung himself over the younger man and into position, and began to gently work his cock into him. "I didn't think I'd last this long." Both men gasped as with a firm push, he fully buried himself inside Alex's slick heat. " _God_...and I...I don't know how long I'm gonna last now, but...I promise baby, before this is over, I'll make you scream until you can't scream any more." 

Alex sobbed his lover's name, bucking weakly against the presence inside of him, wanting more than anything to collect on the breathlessly uttered promise. 

Though the torment he'd suffered at Fox's hands had brought him time and again to the point where he'd been sure he would lose his mind, he'd refused to ask for mercy. An act of the stubborn bastard he could be or the insecure child terrified of displeasing the only person who'd ever shown him love, he did not know. It was probably a bit of both. But now he would have what he could not ask for. And it came in the form of the most overwhelming sensations. 

Spiraling through his body, tickling and teasing each nerve ending, every touch, every sure thrust of Fox's hips took Alex closer to a devastating end. Whimpering frantically, he rocked against the older man, unconsciously, wordlessly begging him to move faster. 

Indulging his tormented love's unspoken need, Fox wrapped his fingers around Alex's cock, stroking and squeezing as he quickened the rhythm of his thrusts. Less than thirty seconds later, Alex stiffened, and his eyes snapped shut, and Fox watched as he came violently, vibrating the air around them with harsh cries. Alex's explosion touched off his own furious orgasm, and every muscle in his body seized then began an intense series of contractions. Wild, grating sobs tore from his throat, joining those of his lover, and an eternity later, the room fell into near silence. 

Head resting on Alex's shoulder, Fox lingered in a haze of utter satisfaction. His senses drifted back to him one by one, and he vaguely thought he could hear a soft whimpering, just inches from his ear. He forced himself to open his eyes and focus on his lover, who seemed pretty well unconscious. 

Not the slightest flutter of his lashes. No twitching muscles. Mouth relaxed into a pout so damned sexy that the sight of it would have hardened Fox in a second were he not so exhausted... 

"Alex?" 

Dead silence. 

"Baby, you alive?" 

Somewhere in the darkness, Alex heard Fox calling him. Softly. Almost inaudibly, and he tried to answer. Attempted to speak his name. Something to let his lover know that he had heard him, but his voice refused to cooperate. 

Fox saw the tiny, nearly undetectable twitch of the younger man's lips, then they went still, and Alex lay completely motionless. The only signs of life were the soft, deep breaths that intermittently lifted his chest. Gingerly, he separated himself from the unconscious man, removed both condoms then released his wrists from the restraints and laid beside him, watching quietly as he slept. 

"Gotcha," he whispered, lightly brushing the slumbering man's cheek with his knuckles. "How's that for a man my age?" He laughed softly and laid his head on Alex's shoulder, giving in to the heavy lethargy that washed over him. 

"Not bad, huh?" 

His eyes closed, and he drifted into sleep. 

* * *

Sharp, brown eyes squinted toward the east, searching each approaching vehicle then shifting again to the top of the street when the car passed by without stopping. Skinner sighed heavily and looked down at his watch for the fourth time. 

Mulder had told him on the phone that he and Krycek would be at Hegal Place at ten. Here, it was almost twenty after the hour, and they had yet to arrive. So he continued to wait and watch. 

"Sometime this morning, Mulder." 

He was shocked when he got the call from Mulder early this morning taking him up on his offer of assistance. He hadn't really expected that Krycek would agree to it, and he wondered what had brought him to the decision to allow him to help. 

Five minutes later, Fox's car pulled up, and he got out, nodding at the older man. 

"Sorry we're late, but..." 

"We." Skinner looked past Fox into the now empty car. "Where's Krycek?" 

"Right behind me. Well..." He looked up the empty street. "Sort of. I lost him two lights back. He'll be here in a minute. We got delayed picking the truck up at the rental place." 

"Moving van," Skinner murmured. "That's right. I suppose moving would be a lot easier with a truck." 

"Thanks for coming on such short notice." 

"I was actually sort of surprised to hear from you at all," Skinner replied. I didn't think Krycek'd be very comfortable with this. Not that I could blame him." 

Fox watched the truck appear at the top of the street and approach them. 

"He's still not completely at ease, but he wants to try. It was his decision to ask you. He says he doesn't want me to lose any more of the few friends I have. I told him that he was all that was important to me, and in light of what's happened, I'd understand completely if he didn't want to be around you. He insisted though." 

Skinner nodded silently as the truck idled up to the curb, and Alex hopped down. He caught the younger man's eye very briefly before Alex moved to Fox's side. 

Clearing his throat, he acknowledged the new arrival. 

"Krycek." 

Alex took a moment then raised his eyes to Skinner's, holding a steady gaze on him. 

"Thanks for the help. It was good of you to offer." 

"Moving's not a fun activity in the best of situations...I mean...you know...it's a real pain. But it's a little easier when you have some help." 

Silence fell over the trio, then Fox took Alex's hand and started for the building. 

"Well, this stuff isn't going to move itself. Let's get started." 

In the three and a half hours that followed, the men worked quietly, making little conversation unless it involved the task at hand. When everything had been loaded into the truck, Fox blew out a heavy breath and gave Skinner a satisfied smile. 

"Took less time than I thought it would." 

"Yeah," Skinner agreed. "No broken dishes or mirrors, no sprains, scrapes or contusions. I'd say we did pretty well." 

Securing the back doors of the truck, Alex walked over to the pair, edging past Skinner and standing by Fox's side. 

Fox slipped an arm around his lover and pressed a soft kiss to his temple. 

"It's lunchtime," he commented. "Anybody hungry?" 

"A little," Alex answered, resting his chin on Fox's shoulder. "You?" 

Skinner watched the simple exchange, the absolute purity of it hitting him smack between the eyes and blocking out anything that Fox may have said. 

Goddamn. 

This was no bullshit. This was as real as it could get. He'd known that the day he'd found Alex at Scully's, but those were far from normal circumstances. Everything was wild that night. Exaggerated and surreal. Emotions were about as high as they could be, but this. This was uncomplicated, every day type stuff. And still the adoration in each man's eyes...the softness in their tone when they spoke to each other. The way one just seemed to flow into the other. Those things couldn't be interpreted in any other way but one. 

And dammit, there was that feeling again. The same one he'd had the night he'd found Alex unconscious and unknowingly abused in Mulder's bed. The same bloody feeling he'd had that night not so long ago at Scully's, when he'd tried to console the emotionally stricken younger man. 

//Jesus Christ, what the hell's wrong with you?// 

He couldn't answer. He couldn't understand why he kept feeling this way. Walt Skinner wasn't a man who was usually given to futile sentiment. Practicality was one of his middle names, and it had served him well. Why now would he let this keep happening? 

"You think we worked him a little too hard?" 

The words brought Skinner back to earth, and he focused his attention on Fox. 

"Sorry, what'd you say?" He glanced quickly from Fox's curious gaze to Alex's uncomfortable one, then back again. 

"I was asking if you'd like to get something to eat before we started moving this stuff up to the new apartment." 

"Yeah. Uh...yeah, I could do with some lunch." 

"Anything in particular?" 

"No. I don't...whatever you guys want is fine with me. I'm not real fussy." 

"Okay," Fox answered, unconsciously drawing a hand up and down Alex's arm as he spoke. "That Italian sandwich place is on the way." 

"Fine with me. Why don't you tell me what you want, and I'll stop and pick it up," Skinner offered, knowing that neither he nor Alex would be especially happy about spending any amount of time in each other's company if Fox stopped for the food. 

Fox nodded in agreement, having fully intended to ask Skinner if he wouldn't mind stopping anyway. The tension that flowed through Alex when Skinner had fixed that odd stare on them just a few minutes ago had alerted him to a potentially uncomfortable situation, and there was no way he was going to leave them alone together for more than a couple of minutes. Not that he thought Skinner would attempt anything improper, but he knew that Alex would be uneasy, and he wouldn't have that. 

After deciding on their lunch orders, they argued briefly over who was going to pay the tab. Fox won, insisting that it was the least he and Alex could do since Skinner was spending his whole Saturday helping them. The three separated, and Skinner drove to the sandwich place while Alex and Fox continued on to Crystal City. 

Arriving at their new home, the two men met in front of the truck and looked up at the building. 

"You want to change your mind?" Fox asked then looked to the younger man, smiling. 

"And do what?" Alex shot back, returning the smile. "Live in this thing?" 

Fox chuckled softly then leaned back against the vehicle Alex had indicated with a short toss of his head. 

"All our stuff's in it already." 

The two went silent for a while, then Fox spoke again. 

"I could feel you tighten up a little while ago when Skinner was giving us that look." 

"Yeah," Alex began, lowering his gaze to the pavement, "it's kind of hard not to just because he's told us that he's come to terms with our relationship. It's just...it's a little unnerving, you know?" 

"I know. Which is why I'm asking you again, Alex. Are you sure you can do this?" 

Alex looked up into his lover's eyes and answered, though in a rather roundabout way. 

"I used to be fearless, you know? Had balls of solid granite. Then," he said, waving his hand back and forth between them, "this happened, and...all of a sudden I became a man with everything in the world to lose. And in one blinding flash I understood what fear was. 

"A little trepidation is good, I suppose. Reminds you that you're human. But this...what's happening to me now. It's...it's too much. It's ridiculous. I've got to get a handle on it. I have to stop being afraid that some disaster is lurking around every corner, waiting to take you away from me." He shook his head. "Avoiding Skinner isn't going to help me do that." 

Fox studied his lover for a few seconds then held his hand out, gently pulling Alex to him when he took it. 

"Doesn't mean you should do anything you're uncomfortable with." 

"God, Fox, if I don't do anything I'm uncomfortable with, I won't be doing a whole lot. I have to stop behaving like a baby and face my stupid fears." 

Pouting, Fox rested his forehead against the other man's. 

"You don't want to be my baby?" he croaked, incurring an amused chuckle from Alex. 

"I didn't say I didn't want to be your baby, I said I didn't want to be _a_ baby. Who I am with you isn't who I want to be to the rest of the world." 

Fox nuzzled the younger man's jaw. "No?" 

Sable lashes swept downward, and Alex emitted a soft sigh as his lover moved to his ear. 

"Don't want to be sappy for anybody but you." 

"That's sweet," Fox murmured, closing his teeth around the younger man's earlobe and pulling. "But I can't imagine anyone being stupid enough to think you were sappy." He pulled back and grinned at the other. "You know, besides me." 

"I don't know about that." 

"Don't sell yourself short, Alex. You can still scare the shit out of people." 

"Scully doesn't count." 

Fox burst into laughter. "Why not? Don't discount her. She's kicked many a man's ass in her day." 

"Yeah, okay..." 

An approaching figure diverted Alex's attention. 

"Here's Skinner." 

"I didn't see you drive up," Fox commented as the older man stopped in front of them. 

"Your attention seemed to be concentrated elsewhere," Skinner answered in a mock-gruff tone. "If you think you can tear yourselves away from each other for more than a few minutes, what do you say we go eat? I'm hungry." 

Alex looked back to his lover, who raised his eyebrows, posing a silent question. Combing his fingers through Fox's hair, he leaned in, answering with a soft but passionate kiss. 

Skinner managed to avert his eyes this time, waiting quietly until Alex broke the kiss and tugged on Fox's hand, prompting his lover to follow him toward the building. Mentally fortifying himself, he turned and joined them, keeping several paces behind. 

The small group entered the building and boarded the empty elevator, Fox pushing the button for the seventh floor. They took up position against opposite walls, Fox and Alex standing side by side, facing Skinner. 

"Smells good," Alex said, breaking the silence. 

Skinner stared for half a second then blinked and looked quickly down at the bags in his hand. 

"Oh. Yeah. I've had to smell it for the last twenty minutes, and now I'm starving." 

"What's in the other bag?" Fox asked, indicating the second paper sack. 

"Picked up a six pack of Coke and some Evian. I was going to get beer, but I had no idea what you drank, so..." 

"That's fine," Fox answered. "Thanks." 

The doors opened, and the three proceeded to the apartment located about halfway down the hall. Alex unlocked the door, and they entered. Fox looked around, smiling. 

"We're going to be so much more comfortable here, babe," he said to Alex, who had just come up from behind and wrapped his arms around his waist. "So much room." 

"Mmm hmm." Alex kissed his lover's ear then rested his chin on his shoulder. "And bright. I like daylight. Saw far too little of it for a lot of years." 

Fox turned his head to the right and kissed Alex briefly before gently pulling out of his embrace. Dropping down onto the floor, he banged on the hardwood with the palm of his hand. 

"Come on, let's eat. I'd like to be moved in sometime before dark." 

Alex and Skinner joined Fox on the floor, digging into the bags and finding their respective sandwiches. While both Skinner and Fox pulled a can out of the pack of soda, Alex reached for a bottle of Evian. 

"You should be drinking water," he said, softly chastising Fox as the older man drained half of his soda. 

Fox grinned up at his lover. "Coke tastes better." 

"You've been exerting yourself all day," Alex reminded him, "you've been in the sun a lot, and you're bound to be dehydrated." 

Fox gave Alex an exasperated sigh, though his eyes glowed with boundless affection. 

"Yeah, yeah, okay." 

Alex handed him a bottle then gave Skinner a sidelong glance. 

"You must be just as dry as we are." 

Skinner peered over the top of his can at Alex, clearly shocked that he would be included. His gaze fell to Fox, who simply shrugged. 

"Hey, do what you want. I'm the one who's gotta live with him." 

"Oh, is that how you feel about it? You _gotta_ live with me?" 

Fox pivoted and stretched out on his back, laying his head in Alex's lap. 

"Alex..." 

"'Cause you know, you don't have to." 

Skinner watched intently, afraid he'd inadvertently started a fight between the two. 

"Baby..." 

"You can live in this big apartment all by yourself for all I..." 

Alex's words were smothered my Fox's mouth as the older man snaked an arm around his neck and pulled him down for a thorough kiss. 

"You know I love it when you're bossy," Fox growled against Alex's mouth, earning a throaty chuckle from the other man. 

"All right then, eat your damn sandwich so we can get back to work." 

Fox grinned up at Alex, rubbing his head against his lover's thigh. 

"Yes, sir." 

Okay, so it had just been some kind of game. If Skinner hadn't been there, they'd probably be half naked by now, crawling all over each other. 

Well, there was a bad image to put in his head. 

Quickly, he shook it off and picked up an unopened bottle of water. Twisting the cap off, he drank down at least a third of the contents before placing the bottle on the floor in front of him. He bit into his sandwich and looked up just in time to see Alex feeding Fox's lunch to him. 

//Shit, shit, shit...// 

He focused on Fox, putting himself in the other man's place. Head in Alex's lap. So close to the heat of his crotch. Taking food from his fingers...licking and sucking them clean... 

//Get over it, Walt. That's one situation you'll never find yourself in. Not with this man, anyway.// 

Fox tore his gaze away from his lover for a brief moment, catching the look of discomfort on the third man's face, and reluctantly, he sat up, giving Alex one more kiss before finishing his lunch on his own. 

The three made small talk for the twenty minutes or so that it took for them to finish their sandwiches, then cleaned up and made the trek down to the truck to begin moving everything up to the apartment. The second half of the move went fairly smoothly with the exception of one little incident. Fox walked smack into the closed door and dropped the box he was carrying. Alex heard a thud, crash, then a few muttered curses, and he ran from the kitchen to see what had happened. He threw the door open and found Fox crouched on the floor, jiggling the box back and forth. 

"There go our glasses," he lamented then looked up at Alex. "Why'd you shut the door?" 

"I...shit, Fox, I'm sorry, I didn't even realize I had. Are you all right?" 

"Yeah. Well, my hands hit the door first. That's why I dropped the box." 

Alex emitted a soft, sympathetic whine and stooped to take Fox's hands in his. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered, covering both of his lover's hands with kisses. "Okay?" 

"You missed a spot," Fox grumbled, trying to maintain his pout. 

"Yeah? Where?" 

"Right there," Fox pointed to the second knuckle on his right hand. He breathed deeply as Alex dusted the skin with his lips then lightly drew his tongue over the area. Smoky green eyes looked up at him through the heavy fringe of lashes, and Alex licked his knuckle once more. 

"Better?" 

The husky, one word question went through him like a bolt of lightning, sizzling along his nerves and creating a pool of electricity in his lower regions. Christ, he wanted nothing more than to propel himself forward and tackle the younger man. And he might have done it if not for one thing. 

"I meant to ask you before, Mulder. What do you still want with eight tracks?" 

The two men looked up at the approaching third member of their moving party, and rose to their feet. 

Clearly, he'd walked in on yet another...warm...moment, and Skinner looked briefly away then back in the general vicinity of the others. 

"That's what I asked him," Alex said, picking up the box of broken glasses while Fox relieved Skinner of his burden. 

"How could I just throw them away?" Fox asked, following his lover into the apartment. "You know how old those things are? They could be worth money someday." 

"This is why it took us so long to load the truck," Alex called out as he walked into the kitchen. He re-entered the living room a placed a kiss on his frowning lover's temple. "He's got tons of junk." 

"It's not junk," Fox protested. 

"Okay," Alex breathed, patting the older man's rear before he moved to the door. "Let's go get the rest of your treasure before it gets dark." 

As he had done the entire day, Skinner trailed behind the other two. He listened to their good-natured barbs and affectionate squabbling and found himself smiling in spite of the jealousy that kept nipping at him. 

He could do it. For the sake of his relationship with Mulder, he could get over this fixation with Krycek and possibly be a friend to both. God knows that they hadn't five friends between the three of them, and it couldn't hurt at all to have another. 

By the time dark had fallen the truck was empty, and the men stood in the middle of Fox and Alex's new home, surrounded by boxes and displaced furniture. 

"Thank God," Fox groaned, falling into the nearest chair and closing his eyes. "It's done, and I'm dead." 

"Dead?" Alex lifted one of Fox's eyelids with his thumb. "You can't be that tired." 

"Why can't I?" 

"A man with your stamina?" 

Fox grunted in response, and Alex released his eyelid but continued to tease him. 

"Come on, Fox, can't you get up and go for a five mile run? Play a few pickup games?" 

"Sure," Fox droned. "You come with me." 

Arms folded across his chest, Skinner looked from one man to the other. 

"You're kidding, right? I mean you're not actually going to go running." 

Alex shrugged, looking down at Fox. 

"Somebody around here thinks that they're superhuman." 

One hazel eye opened and directed its gaze at the man standing beside the chair. 

"Need I remind you who the first one was to keel over last night?" 

"I only have your word on that." 

Fox shook his head in response and closed his eye. 

"Well, I'm beat," Skinner announced. "I'm out of here." 

"Okay, well...thanks for your help," Alex said, temporarily abandoning his harassment campaign. 

"No problem." 

"I'll walk you out," Fox offered as Skinner turned and headed for the door. He boosted himself out of the chair, and Alex broke into laughter as he attempted to muffle a groan. 

"When you get back, I'll give you some warm milk and put you right to bed." 

Fox sent a glare in the younger man's direction. 

"You're looking for trouble, Krycek." 

"Uh huh, and who's going to give it to me?" Alex taunted. 

"Give me five minutes and I'll show you," Fox tossed over his shoulder as he and Skinner moved into the hall. He shut the door behind him, and the smile vanished from his face. 

"Now that we're moved in, call me tomorrow, and I'll tell Alex that I have to leave the next day on that case." 

Skinner sighed heavily, eyeing the other man. 

"I'd sort of hoped you'd given up on that." 

"Would you?" 

"Mulder, what...what if something goes wrong? What if something happens to you?" 

"Nothing's going to happen to me." 

"You don't know that. Would you take such a big chance on leaving Alex alone? It'd kill him to lose you." 

"He's not going to lose me. I wouldn't do that to him." 

"You might not have much say in the matter, you know?" 

"I'll be fine." 

"Mulder..." 

"Just call me tomorrow, okay? Walt, please. It'll be better if you help me, but with or without you, I'm going to California." 

Skinner hesitated a moment then lowered his head. 

"All right. I'll call you tomorrow." 

"Thank you. And thanks for helping us move." 

"You're welcome." 

"Goodnight." 

Skinner nodded and started toward the elevator, hating to be part of something that might very well get Mulder dead, but he saw no way out. Mulder was going whether he wanted him to or not, and... 

But what if Krycek knew about it? He'd be able to stop Mulder. 

//Are you ready to tell him and piss Mulder off?// 

//Does it matter how mad Mulder is if it saves his ass? The question is, would Krycek even believe you?// 

He stepped into the elevator and rode up to his floor, still talking to himself. 

//But you'd want that bastard to pay if you were Mulder. Hell, you're you, and you want him to pay. Just...do as he asks. It'll be okay.// 

The doors opened and he walked to his own apartment, letting himself in and dropping down on the stairs. He sat in darkness for a long while, convincing himself that all would be well, then got up and dragged himself up to bed. 

* * *

"Shit!" 

Alex winced then smiled as a hard body pressed his into the kitchen wall, and a low growl sounded in his ear. 

"Now. You were saying?" 

"Saying...wh-what was I saying?" 

"Something about warm milk, I believe." 

"Oh yeah. Let me dig out a sauce pan, and I'll heat some up for you. Then I'll tuck you into bed," Alex croaked then grunted as Fox's teeth closed over the curve between his neck and shoulder. 

"Fuck the milk," Fox murmured, drawing his tongue over the wounded skin. "But bed sounds good. Let's go." 

Alex turned in his lover's arms and focused a limp-lidded stare on him. 

"Actually, I was thinking I'd stay up a while and get some of this stuff straightened out." 

"We can do that tomorrow," Fox answered, sliding his hands down to Alex's rear, squeezing the denim-covered muscle. He gently humped the younger man's erection and smiled at the broken moan. "You're coming to bed with me." 

"But I'm not tired." 

Fox backed Alex flush against the wall, and ground their hips together. Capturing the other man's lower lip in his teeth, his tugged firmly then released it. "Good." He curled the fingers of one hand in the front of Alex's shirt and pulled his lover through the kitchen and into the bedroom. 

Alex looked down at what would pass for their bed tonight then gave Fox a tiny grin. 

"The mattress isn't made." 

"Where's the box with the sheets?" 

"I put it over there," Alex nodded toward the box in the corner. 

Stalking over to the box, Fox opened it up and yanked out the first set he came across. Tossing the fitted sheet at Alex, he set about stuffing the pillows into their cases. 

Alex caught the sheet as it hit him in the chest and began stretching it over the mattress. His cock throbbed in time to the pounding of the rest of his body, and his hands shook in their effort to get the last corner secured. The moment he did, he found himself flattened, Fox's weight pressing him into the mattress. 

Fully expecting a hard, fast session, He gasped softly, more than a bit surprised when Fox's mouth and hands tenderly began to wander over his back and shoulders. 

"Long day, huh?" 

Fox lifted himself into a sitting position, and his hands began to move in firm strokes over his lover's back. 

"Yeah," Alex sighed, his body tingling with pleasure. 

"I've been in that same apartment for so many years," Fox mused as he worked on loosening Alex's muscles. "Feels a little odd to be somewhere else." He smiled down at the man beneath him. "Good, though." 

"Mmm hmm. Real good." 

"Alex?" 

Hmmm?" 

"Are you falling asleep?" 

"No." 

"I think you are." 

"How can I think about sleeping with you sitting on my ass?" 

Fox laughed softly and slid his hands up under Alex's shirt. 

"Take this off." 

With his lover's assistance, Alex removed the shirt and lowered his head to the pillow, waiting. The feel of Fox's hands again, caressing his back closed his eyes and pulled another moan from him. 

Fox leaned in and nuzzled Alex's jaw, then his ear. 

"Alex." 

"...Yeah?" 

"Are you tired?" 

Sable lashes lifted part way, and Alex inhaled deeply, recognizing the tone in Fox's voice. Though he had acted aggressively at first and given Alex every reason to believe that he would be the one on top tonight, Fox obviously had had a change of heart. 

"No." Alex twisted and turned until he lay on his back and Fox now straddled his hips. He reached up, stroking his lover's arms and chest. "I'm not tired. C'mere." 

Fox lowered himself slowly until he was stretched out along the length of Alex's body, then the younger man rolled, depositing him on the mattress. Holding Fox's gaze, he removed his shirt then began working on his pants. When Fox was naked and writhing beneath him, he removed the rest of his own clothing. 

"You know," Alex purred, leaning in close to Fox's mouth. "We really should take a shower. We've been humping furniture and boxes around all day." 

"Guess you're right," Fox agreed, lifting himself high enough to lap at the younger man's mouth. "Uh...d'you know which box the towels are in?" 

"In the bathroom box, in the bathroom." 

"You're so organized," Fox grinned up at him. 

"Yes, I am," Alex concurred. "What the hell would you ever do without me?" 

"I don't know," Fox whispered, stroking the side of Alex's head. "Wither and die, I suppose." 

Alex emitted a soft breath and rose from the bed, pulling Fox up after him. 

After digging out a couple of towels and any other bath accessories that they would need for tonight and tomorrow, the two stepped into the shower, washing and teasing each other into a high state of arousal. Nearly fifteen minutes later, Alex had found their condoms and lube, and they tumbled damp and flushed onto the bed, Alex covering Fox with his weight. 

Threading his fingers through glistening, sable hair, Fox pulled his lover down for a deep kiss then dragged his tongue over his warm lips. 

"I've been waiting all day to be alone with you." 

"You want me, baby?" 

"So much," Fox moaned, winding his arms around his lover's neck. "Fuck me, Alex. Please. I want to feel you inside me." 

The last word was barely out of Fox's mouth when Alex took it in a hard kiss, pushing his lover's head back into the pillows. 

Moaning into his lover's mouth, Fox's hands combed feverishly through his hair, encouraging Alex to drink more deeply. He felt the younger man's tongue push into his mouth, and he met it eagerly with his own, giving all that his lover demanded of him. 

Alex slid an arm around the small of Fox's back as the older man arched against him and held him to the hard warmth of his body as his mouth traveled down the stubble-roughened jaw and over the taut lines of his lover's throat. 

"Your skin is so hot," he rumbled against the base of Fox's throat as his free hand stroked over his tensing rear. "You feel so good, baby. I could never get tired of touching you." 

A small sob escaped past Fox's constricted throat, and he writhed against his lover, whimpering and begging for more contact. As Alex claimed his mouth once more, the younger man's wandering hand found a rigid nipple and began to play gently with it, causing Fox to tremble more violently. 

"Alex," Fox gasped, breaking the kiss and pressing his face to the other man's neck, "God. Oh, Jesus, I'm..." 

"A little sensitive?" Alex asked, ducking his head to take the nipple into his mouth. 

A desperate sob pierced the air, and Fox's fingers tightened painfully in Alex's hair. 

"Guess so," Alex grated against the overly sensitive flesh then bit down on it, driving the other man into a frenzy. 

Shrieking his lover's name, Fox bucked wildly beneath him, searching for the friction his tortured cock needed for release. But Alex moved just out of range, prompting a groan of extreme frustration. 

"I need you," Fox sobbed, clawing at the younger man's back. "Please, Alex, Im begging you. Please." 

Alex's pulse raced, the power of Fox's words swelling his cock to painful proportions. 

Fox. His beautiful, strong, sexy Fox. Clinging to him and begging for his attention. Craving the love only Alex could give him. 

Holy Christ. 

Using his hands and his mouth, Alex relentlessly drove Fox and himself to the very edges of insanity. Again and again his lover's voice sounded, tormented and breathless, pleading for mercy, but it wasn't until tears of frustration glazed Fox's eyes that Alex sought to free him from the sensual hell he'd created. 

Groping for the condoms he'd dropped down beside them, Alex ripped open one packet and quickly rolled it over his deeply flushed cock then slapped on some lube. Hands stroking the undersides of Fox's thighs, he looked down into glistening, dark eyes. 

"Let me in, Fox." 

Captivated by the intensity of his lover's gaze, Fox obeyed, slowly wrapping his arms and legs around him. Seconds later, his mouth fell open, and a long, sobbing gasp tumbled out as Alex pushed home. 

Jesus God, and Alex said _he_ was magic... 

Wiping his mind clear of coherent thought, Alex took complete command, making his body shudder with each touch, each thrust, and the pleasure of it was unbearable. All Fox could do in his delirium was hold tightly to his love and let each growing wave sweep him a little farther away. When Alex took hold of his cock and began to milk it in time to the movement of his hips, it finished him. 

A window-rattling wail broke from Fox's throat, and he clung desperately to Alex, shaking violently as he came all over the younger man's hand and his own stomach. Two more hard thrusts, and Alex released a ferocious roar of his own. The sound drowned out Fox's dying cries, and he collapsed on top of his lover, motionless and barely breathing. A long while later, Fox opened his eyes and smiled wearily. 

"Baby," he half whispered, half croaked. 

No response. 

"Alex." 

"Hmmm." 

"Babe, your..." Fox tried to get the younger man to lift himself just a little. "...your hand. If we fall asleep like this, we're going to wind up stuck together." 

Alex rose a bit, and he fixed a glassy stare on his lover. 

"Think we already are." He winced as he attempted to open his hand and apologized at Fox's sharp intake of breath. 

"Sorry. I...okay." He slipped his hand out from between them and studied the stickiness there before directing his gaze at his lover and bringing his hand to his mouth. 

Fox's eyelids grew heavy as he watched Alex lick his palm then each finger. 

"What're you trying to do?" 

"Nothing. Just wanna taste you." 

"Uh huh. And you don't think watching you do that is going to get me going again?" 

"Don't know," Alex purred. "Is it?" 

Fox groaned softly and pushed against the other. 

A mischievous smile lit Alex's face. 

"You're insatiable." 

"Yeah. You wouldn't think a man my age would be." 

Alex nuzzled Fox's throat. "You know I'm just kidding about that. You're a young man. Christ, you're only a couple of years older than I am." 

"Mmm hmm." Fox rolled Alex beneath him and nipped at the vulnerable skin of his throat. "And don't you forget it...uh...Alex?" 

"Hmm?" 

"You still wearing that rubber?" 

Alex's nose crinkled. "Yeah." He reached down, hissing as he peeled the used condom off and dropped it to the floor beside the mattress. He stared at the wrinkled latex for a moment then turned a suddenly despondent gaze on Fox. 

"I wish this was all over." 

A frown creased the older man's brow. "What?" 

"I wish we'd already been through all the testing." 

Fox drew Alex's head down to his shoulder and kissed the sable crown. 

"I know. Look, I'm due next month for all that stuff...I know it won't exactly have been three months since you were possibly infected, but you can still get tested. At least you might be put a little more at ease while we're waiting to take the second test. I know a guy in the lab who'll do it quickly and quietly for me. Okay?" 

Alex nodded wordlessly. 

"Hey." Fox slid two fingers under the younger man's chin and lifted his head until he was looking into his eyes. "It's gonna be fine." 

Alex hesitated a moment then nodded, offering Fox a tiny smile. His eyes drifted shut as the older man moved in for a tender kiss. He opened them as Fox pulled back, and the two stared at each other for a short time before kissing again. And again, and before Alex knew it he was pinned beneath Fox, moaning and whimpering while the older man made love to him, slowly and sweetly. 

When it was over, both men lay together in a satisfied haze, purring and nuzzling each other until Fox gained enough strength to drag himself out of bed. He trudged into the bathroom for a couple of warm towels, and when he'd finished cleaning himself and Alex up, he crawled back into bed and the warmth of his lover's arms. Utterly exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep with the steady beat of Alex's heart beneath his cheek, and a contented smile curling his lips. 

* * *

A low groan sounded from the tangle of sheets and bodies as the insistent ringing of a phone intruded on the couple's sleep. 

Groping around on the floor, Alex finally found the phone and hauled it up to his ear. 

"H'llo?" 

Skinner winced as the soft, hoarse voice greeted him. Shit, even half-asleep and completely unaware, Krycek could get his motor humming. 

"Uh...Krycek. I'm. Look, I'm really sorry, but...it's after eleven, and I figured you'd have been up by now..." 

"Eleven?" 

"Yeah. I'm sorry, I..." 

"No. No, it's okay." Alex ran a hand over his face and looked over at Fox, who was still struggling to open his eyes. "You want to talk to Fox?" 

"Yeah, I...if he's awake." 

"Yeah well, sort of. Hang on." 

Skinner held the line, listening to Alex attempt to rouse his barely conscious lover. 

"Fox...baby, wake up. Skinner's on the phone." 

A few more words from Alex, a couple of unhappy groans later, and Fox's sleepy voice sounded on the other end. 

"Yeah?" 

"Mulder, I'm sorry, I had no idea you'd be asleep at this time of day." 

"Time is it?" 

Skinner heard Alex inform Fox that it was after eleven, and the other man gasped in surprise. 

"It is? Damn, we were really out, huh?" 

Alex gave a muffled answer, and Fox turned his attention back to the caller. 

"So, what's up?" 

"You told me to call you today. You didn't say what time." 

"Yeah. Yeah, that's right." Fox faked the rest of the conversation. "...uh huh...yeah, okay, I'll make the reservations for tomorrow...yeah, okay." 

"Mulder, call me and let me know what's going on, you understand?" 

"Yeah. I will." 

Fox disconnected and, taking a deep breath, silently asked Alex to forgive him for the lie he was about to tell. 

"Babe..." 

"You got that case." 

"Yeah." 

"You gotta leave tomorrow?" 

Fox nodded, avoiding Alex's eyes. 

Stroking his lover's hair, Alex planted a kiss on his forehead. 

"Okay." 

"Alex, I..." 

"Don't worry about it. And don't ask me to come with you. I got a ton of stuff to keep me busy, and I'll be perfectly safe here." He gave Fox a crooked smile. "Even with the big bad Skinner upstairs." 

Fox returned the smile then pulled Alex into his arms. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Positive." 

"I'll make it quick as I can." 

Alex nodded and kissed the other man. 

"Just be careful and call me when you can." 

"You know I will. In the meantime, we'd better get our asses up. I want to at least get all the furniture placed today." 

After breakfast, Fox made his flight reservations, then he and Alex began moving the furniture around. They finished just before six and decided to call it a night. They spent the rest of the evening eating takeout and watching television, and at around ten-thirty, they turned in. 

Now able to sleep in their fully assembled bed, Fox made love to Alex until midnight, then lay wide awake while the younger man slept soundly in his arms. He stared up at the ceiling, thinking about getting to Californina and finding the mother fucker who'd drugged and raped his love. 

//Enjoy yourself while you can, you fucking, filthy piece of shit. Your time's just about up.// 

* * *

"...And you've got enough underwear?" 

"You packed it. Besides," Fox grinned over at his lover. "It'd be a little late now, wouldn't it?" 

Alex murmured his agreement and watched the signs. 

"You said terminal nine, right?" 

"Yeah." 

"Well, your turn's coming up." 

Fox took the proper exit and pulled up in front of the terminal. He put the car in park then turned to Alex, giving his lover a reassuring smile. 

"I'll call you as soon as I get there, okay?" 

Alex nodded and accepted a long, sweet kiss before he and Fox separated, and the older man retrieved his garment bag and suitcase from the trunk. 

"Better get these checked." 

"Yeah." 

Fox hesitated a moment more then, not giving a shit who might be looking, he walked up to Alex and kissed him once more. 

"Love you." 

"Love you, too." 

He began to back away. 

"If you need me, Alex..." 

"I'll call you. But I'll be fine. I promise." 

"Okay...bye, babe." 

Alex raised his hand and watched Fox disappear into the terminal. A few seconds later, he took a deep breath and made himself get into the car and drive away. 

* * *

Los Angeles. 

Several minutes after the plane touched down, Fox rose from his seat, stretching briefly before disembarking. Waiting impatiently at the carousel, he finally located his bags. Snatching them up, he made for the car rental booth. While he waited his turn, he decided to try and give Alex a quick call. 

Punching in his home number, he waited only two rings before Alex answered. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey, beautiful." 

"Hi. Didn't expect to hear from you quite so soon." 

"Well, I haven't left the airport yet. I'm in line right now for a car." 

"Oh. Have a good flight?" 

"Uneventful, which I guess is good. Know what?" 

"What?" 

"I miss you." 

"I miss you too." 

"What'd you do today?" 

"Got the kitchen all straightened out. Started on the living room, but I didn't finish. Got tired. I'll get back on it tomorrow." 

"There's no rush, you know. Just take your time." 

"I want to have it done, though, before you get back." 

"Why? If it isn't done, I can help you finish." 

"No," Alex argued softly. "I want it to look like home when you walk in." 

"Baby, if you're there, it's home." 

Alex smiled at the sweet admonition. Before he could say anything, Fox spoke again. 

"Hey, I'm next. I'll call you again when I'm settled in a motel, okay?" 

"All right." 

"Talk to you soon. Bye, babe." 

"Bye." 

Alex hung up and, looking around the apartment, decided to do just a little more work before finding something for dinner. 

* * *

Traffic on the boulevard was stop and go. Some fender bender up ahead as Fox would later find out. 

But the slow moving lines afforded him a long look at his target area. The same place he'd first seen Alex all those months ago. 

Things didn't look much different from when he'd been there before, but then again, why would they? He just hoped the regulars were still there, and that the asshole he was looking for was one of them. 

Two hours later he was settled in his room. He'd managed to find a halfway decent motel not far from Boy's Town, so he could walk over and not have to worry about parking. 

Unpacking his clothes, he pulled the square envelope out of the pocket at the bottom of the bag. Rage bubbled up inside him as he looked at the first picture of that son of a bitch fucking...raping his unconscious lover. 

"I'm going to find you," he said softly to the man in the picture. "And you're going to pay and pay for what you did to him." 

Removing the tiny scissors from his shaving kit, he cut the picture in two, keeping the half showing the fucker's likeness and shoving the other part back into the envelope. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, forcing himself to breathe deeply and evenly before he picked up his cell phone. 

* * *

Alex sat quietly in the middle of his half-finished living room, barely touched dinner on the coffee table before him. As if in a trance, he watched as the pair of angelfish glided back and forth in the tank. They'd tolerated the trip well, and now they were settled in their corner of the new living room, oblivious to all but each other. A tiny smile slanted one corner of his mouth, and he rested his cheek against the knuckles of one hand. 

"You guys got it made, you know?" 

The ringing phone startled him a bit, and it wasn't until the third ring that he'd reached the phone and answered. 

"Hello?" 

"Guess who?" 

Alex released a long breath, feeling better just hearing his lover's soft tone. 

"Hey. You in your room?" 

"Yeah. Such as it is. What're you up to?" 

"Nothing, just finished eating, now I'm sitting here debating whether or not to go to bed." 

"It's..." Fox looked at his watch. "...only like...seven-thirty there. Are you tired?" 

"A little." 

"You okay?" 

"Yeah. I'm all right." Alex closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Just lonely." 

"I know, baby. Me too. I promise I'll get this done as quickly as possible." 

"You know, we didn't even really talk about this case. What's going on?" 

He hadn't seen that coming. 

"Umm. W...woman here in L.A. claims to have witnessed the very recent murder of her twin brother who lived twenty miles away, even though she hasn't left her house in almost eight months." 

//Oh my God, that just came out too easily.// 

"Hasn't left her house? You mean like, not even out the front door?" 

"Nope. She weighs three hundred and fifty pounds and has chronic emphysema." 

"Damn. So, you think this is some sort of psychic thing?" 

"She described the murder in great detail, and the police investigating the murder have confirmed what she's said. I don't know what else it can be." 

"Okay, but...where do you come in?" 

//Yeah, Mulder, where do you...// 

"Blood." 

"Huh?" 

"Blood was found on some clothes of hers by the health care worker who visits her three times a week. The woman innocently mentioned it to her while the detectives were there, and bang. They took the clothes, had 'em analyzed and came up with a match." 

"It matched her brother's blood?" 

"Yep." 

"Well, Fox, I hate to say it but..." 

"I don't think she did it, Alex. I believe there was some connection. Some deep, extrasensory link between the two." 

"Okay, but how do you explain the blood?" 

"I don't know. I can tell you that it isn't unprecedented. I've seen something similar before." 

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah." 

"Well...good luck trying to prove she didn't do it. If the cops think they've got enough evidence against her, you're gonna be hard pressed to get them to listen to you." 

"Story of my life," Fox sighed, hating how easily he was able to make Alex believe lie after lie. 

They talked for another twenty minutes or so, discussing more 'facts' of the case and what Alex was thinking he'd like to do in the dining room, then grudgingly agreed that it was time to say goodnight. 

"I'll call you tomorrow as soon as I get time, okay?" Fox asked, feeling like shit but trying like hell to keep it out of his tone. 

"Okay," Alex rasped, pressing his face into the phone and closing his eyes. "Be good." 

"I will...Alex?" 

"Yeah?" 

"I love you so much." 

"I love you, Fox. More than you can know." 

"Goodnight, sweetheart." 

"Goodnight." 

Alex gripped the phone for long seconds before finally disconnecting and dropping it down on the sofa beside him. His eyes drifted down to his watch. 

Eight-fifteen. 

Wonderful. 

If he went to bed now, he'd be up every hour on the hour. Besides, he didn't want to go to bed. Couldn't bring himself to lie there alone, missing Fox all night. 

He got up and looked around the room for a moment before pulling another box into the middle of the floor. 

So, he'd just get some more work done...and miss Fox all night. 

* * *

Green eyes splashed with gold stared at the image in the mirror as he tucked the fine mesh, body hugging black shirt into the waistband of skintight jeans. His hands ran slowly through his hair, watching as a few stubborn golden-brown strands fell back into his eyes, and he thought to himself that if he dressed this way at home, he'd never make it out of the apartment. Alex would attack him long before he reached the door. 

A smile flickered unbidden across his face. 

Maybe he'd buy more clothes like this before he left. 

This stuff, he'd burn. 

Checking his weapon and securing it in his ankle holster, he exited the motel room and headed out toward his destination. 

* * *

Alex sat up, peering at the clock and cursing softly. 

Four-ten. 

He'd finally gone to bed at two, having squared the living room away and started on the bathroom. When exhaustion forced him to stop, he took a long, warm shower then crawled between the sheets, hoping to drop off quickly. Which he did. But only for about an hour. He'd been awake since then, tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position. The attempt proved futile, and now he sat there, staring into the darkness and wishing to God that Fox hadn't had to go away just one day after they'd moved in. 

Not that he would have felt any differently six months from now. But at least he would have had that much time to try and get his shit together so he could cope a little better. 

"Okay, come on. Knock it off and go to sleep. You're beat, so just close your eyes and let it come." 

Lying on his side, he pulled one of Fox's pillows to his chest and buried his face in its softness. 

"Mmmm." 

Still smelled like him. 

Alex felt his cock begin to rise as images of the two of them making love last night drifted into his head. 

Fox had taken all his time, insuring that no inch of him went unattended to, and when he'd finally given in to Alex's hoarse cries for fulfillment, he did so with a tenderness that left the younger man stunned and lingering in a state of exquisite satisfaction. 

And tonight he was alone. Restless and hungry for the love that only one man would ever be able to give him. 

Whimpering softly, he pressed his face deeper into the pillow and waited for morning. 

* * *

"Hey, sexy." 

A cool, gilded gaze turned and rested on the man directly to Fox's left. 

"I seen you earlier. Lookin' for some company?" 

"What makes you think that?" 

"You been out here for hours." 

"And have you seen anybody pick me up?" 

"Nope. Seen lots of guys try, though. I figured you were just picky. You wouldn't think that the hookers around here would be, but a few are. 'Specially the ones as gorgeous as you. They know they can get the big bucks, and they hold out for it." 

Fox said nothing. 

"So...how much for a blow job?" 

"You couldn't afford me." 

"Try me." 

Ignoring the comment, Fox turned his attention back to traffic. 

"I don't get it," the other man huffed. "If you aren't selling, what the fuck're you doing out here?" 

"Minding my damn business. Now go away." 

The man shuffled off finally, muttering curses under his breath, but at least he'd left peacefully. 

Fox watched as the man moved on to the next hustler and, within thirty seconds time was leading his catch for the night away. Shaking his head, he turned back to the street, searching the crowd. 

It was after midnight, and activity had only increased since he'd arrived several hours ago. 

He closed his eyes briefly, giving himself only a moment's rest before resuming his quest. 

Christ. Twelve-twenty. That meant it was almost dawn back home. 

And Alex was asleep. 

Alone in the bed they would be sharing right now, were it not for this cocksucker he was tracking. 

And his camera man. 

And Scully. 

And to a lesser degree, Skinner. 

Right now, at this particular point in time, he would have killed them all if they'd been there in front of him. He was so fucking tired. And frustrated. And pissed...and missing Alex so much that it had become an actual, physical ache. 

Damn, he wanted to be home. He should be home. Watching, in a few hours as those insanely long eyelashes lifted, and sleepy, green eyes attempted to focus on his face. His heart swelling as those perfect, bowed lips curved up into a sweet smile, and that honey and gravel voice bid him a soft good morning... 

Oh yeah, right now he wanted to kill them all. 

"S'cuse me." 

"Get the fuck out of my sight." 

The prospective customer slunk away at the hissed command, and Fox gave himself a mental shake. 

//Come on, Mulder, get a grip. What if the asshole you're looking for walks up to you, and you react like that before you even realize it's him? Take it easy. That's it. Deep breaths. At least try to look approachable.// 

In a combined effort to stretch his legs and clear his head, he decided to walk a bit. Half an hour later, he dropped down onto the nearest bench and waited. Four hours and not an ounce of luck later, he picked himself up and started back for the motel. A good night's...morning's sleep, and he'd start again. 

* * *

Alex stood before the first of the two bedroom closets, studying the order of Fox's clothing. Shirts, neatly hung by color, spaced enough so that they wouldn't wrinkle. Suits organized similarly. Casual wear hung on the other side of the spacious wardrobe, and shoes and sneakers lined up on the shelves above. 

Satisfied with his work, he shut the door and started in on his own closet. A quarter way through, he stopped and looked again at his watch. 

Twenty minutes after two. 

Ten-twenty, California time. 

He'd expected that Fox would have called him by now. 

//Maybe I should try him.// 

//No, don't. He'll think something's wrong. As soon as he gets the chance, you know he'll call.// 

The 'chance' came some forty minutes later. 

Alex dove for the ringing phone and lifted it quickly to his ear. 

"Hello?" 

"..Hi, babe. Sorry I didn't call you earlier," Fox began immediately. I had an unexpected meeting, so I was caught off guard and..." 

"It's okay," Alex interrupted, not exactly sure why he didn't want to hear the rest of it. "I'm just glad to hear from you. How'd you sleep? You sound kind of tired." 

"I am. This four-hour difference really screws you up. And I had a hell of a time sleeping without you. How 'bout you?" 

"I miss you, but I'm okay." 

"You sure?" 

"Yeah, I...it's just lonely here without you." 

"I'm sorry, baby." 

"It's all right, Fox," Alex promised. "It's nothing you can help. You've got a job to do." 

Not knowing how to respond to that, Fox changed the subject. 

"What're you doing?" 

"Just finished arranging all your clothes in your closet. I'm working on mine now." 

Fox emitted a soft sigh. "Why do I get the feeling you've got the whole apartment all straightened out already?" 

"Not quite. A good part of it." 

"Alex..." 

"Well, I hate having this stuff scattered all over the place, so I did a little more work last night. Speaking of work..." 

"Yeah, I...I just wanted to check in with you since I hadn't yet this morning. Has uh...has Skinner come over yet to borrow a cup of sugar?" 

"Nope. He won't come down here." 

"I didn't think so either, but I thought I'd check. Well, I guess I'd better get back to work now. I'll call you a little later, okay?" 

"Okay. I don't think I'm going anywhere. Store maybe, but that'll probably be about it. So, if you don't catch me home, you can call my cell." 

"All right. Talk to you later. Love you." 

"Love you, too." 

"Bye, babe." 

"Bye." 

Alex put the phone down and stood scratching the back of his head, trying to figure out what it was in Fox's voice that made him believe that something was up. 

//Nothing,// he told himself. //He's jet lagged, and he misses you.// 

Going back to his closet, he began again to arrange his clothing. Five minutes later, he stopped. Before he could really think about what he was doing, he picked up the phone and dialed. 

"Skinner." 

"Sorry to bother you at the office. It's Alex." 

"Krycek?" 

//No, Trebek.// 

"Yeah." 

"What can I do for you?" 

"I'd like to talk to you." 

"Umm...all right. I'll be home in about two hours. Unless it can't wait." 

"N-no, two hours is okay, I guess." 

"All right, then. I'll uh...I'll stop by on my way up to my place." 

"Okay. Thanks." 

"Krycek?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Is everything all right?" 

"Yeah, I...it..it's probably nothing." 

//Oh, what the hell's going on here?// 

"All right, I'll see you in a while." 

"'Kay." 

Skinner heard the click signaling Alex's disconnection, and he set his phone down. Sitting quietly for a few minutes, he contemplated the possible reasons for Krycek's call. 

Mulder was okay. If he wasn't, Krycek wouldn't be waiting until he got home to tell him. But what the hell else would make Alex call him? 

Trying to put it out of his mind, he went back to work. But less than half an hour later he put down the file he'd been reading and leaned back in his chair, drumming loudly on his desk. Minutes after that, he grabbed his jacket and keys and, with a few brief instruction to his secretary, he headed for home. 

* * *

A little early to go back out. 

Fox lay sprawled on the double bed in his motel room, staring blindly at the television. 

He couldn't call Alex; he was supposed to be working. 

This was all that was left to do. 

He reached over to the small night table and lifted the picture he couldn't stop looking at. 

"Where are you, you fucking son of a bitch?" he asked the picture. "You're here, I can feel it. Show your sorry ass." 

Fox dropped his hand to his side and, still clutching the photograph, he turned a blank gaze on the television. 

* * *

The doorbell sounded, startling Alex out of his thoughts. 

Who the hell could be at the door? It was too early for Skinner. 

Walking over to the entrance, he checked the peephole. 

But Skinner it was. 

He unlocked the door and swung it open, staring silently. 

"I know, I'm early," Skinner said by way of a greeting. "But I couldn't help thinking that something was wrong, and if I didn't get over here to find out what was going on and try to help, Mulder would have my head on a skewer." 

Lowering his eyes, Alex stepped aside and allowed the other man to enter. 

"You've done a lot of work," Skinner commented, looking around the pristine living room. "Looks great." 

"Thanks." Alex motioned to the sofa. "Have a seat." 

Skinner lowered himself to the cushions and waited. Alex took a seat in the chair across from him and looked down at his folded hands. 

"What is this case about?" 

"I'm sorry?" 

Alex lifted his eyes to the other man's. "This case you sent Fox on. What's it about?" 

//Shit, shit, shit. Okay, he's watching you. Think of something, and make it good.// 

"I can't discuss the case with you, Krycek, I..." 

"That's former Special Agent Krycek." 

Skinner quickly averted his eyes. How could he have forgotten that he wasn't talking to some ignorant civilian, whom he could easily get over on? 

"I'll save you the trauma of trying to think something up," Alex said softly. "I know Fox isn't in L.A. on any case." 

Great. How was he going to pull this out of the fire? 

"Krycek, I don't know what you think..." 

"Up until a very few minutes ago, I was thinking that it was my imagination that Fox seemed to be acting sort of weird, and that I was just worrying too much. Now I'm leaning the other way." He pitched forward, staring at the other man. "I think Fox is in California for reasons other than this trumped up case. I think it's something I wouldn't be at all happy about, or he wouldn't feel the need to lie to me. I think that if he's doing something dangerous and something happens to him..." For a moment, Skinner saw a glimmer of the old Krycek. "...I'm thinking I'll have to kill you." 

"You know what Im thinking?" Skinner asked. "I'm thinking I'd have to be insane to even consider being friends with a couple of men, who seem to threaten my life on a weekly basis." 

No response. 

"Have you confronted him?" 

"No." 

"Shouldn't he be the one you talk to about these suspicions of yours?" 

"If he went to the trouble of making up a case for my benefit, I don't really think he'd just break down and tell me the truth because I asked him. Now, if he's in any danger, I want to know, and I want to know right fucking now." 

"I'm sure he's fine." 

Alex's patience began to quickly wear. "That's not what I asked." 

"Krycek..." 

"You do know something, don't you?" Alex jerked himself out of his chair. "Dammit, Skinner, tell me why he's out there!" 

"Just give him a couple more days..." 

"The fuck I will!" Alex shouted, tolerance finally lost. "I want to know what the hell's going on!" 

"I promised him, Krycek. As a friend. You can't ask me to go back on my word." 

"I'm not asking you," Alex snarled. "Now, is he in any kind of danger?" 

Skinner pressed his hands to his face and sighed into them. 

"Possibly." 

"Possibly," Alex repeated. 

"Yes. It's... it's possible. But if he's careful and..." 

Alex leaned down, planting his hands against the sofa, on either side of Skinner's head. 

"For the last time, what the fuck's he doing there?" 

"Looking for someone." 

The bad feeling Alex had started to get, got worse. 

"Who?" 

"The man who had drugged and...the one who Scully brought out from California." 

Alex's breath left him in a rush. 

"Son of a bitch." 

"I told him it was a bad idea. I asked him not to go, but you know Mulder when he's on a mission. He's about as easy to stop as a rabid pitbull." 

"So, he's gone to L.A. to try and find this asshole. I can't believe this. How would he even know where to start?" 

"I guess he figures he'll go to the most likely place. The place where he'd found you." 

"What makes him think this guy is there?" 

"You knew him, Krycek. He was a...a customer." 

Alex's eyes lowered to the floor. "I don't remember." 

"You did something to this man. He's got a permanent limp as a result. Does that help?" 

Alex raked his fingers through his hair, trying to associate the face he'd seen in the pictures with any of the assholes he'd taught a lesson to. 

"I think..." It was coming to him. "Initials." 

"What?" 

"His name. It was just...A.J. That's it. I remember him now. He got what was coming to him." 

"Be that as it may, he was ticked off enough about what you did to him to want revenge." 

Changing the subject a bit, Alex went back to Fox. 

"I still don't understand how Fox thinks he's going to find this jerk. He'd been looking at those pictures for all of thirty seconds before I took them away." 

"He has some." 

"I got rid of all those pictures," Alex snapped, picking up on Skinner's last words. "Where would Fox get more?" 

"He..." Another sigh. "He asked me to get Scully's pictures from her. So I got them. And the negatives." 

Alex backed away from the sofa and tilted his head back, eyes shut. 

"This thing has been gnawing a hole in him," Skinner informed the other man. "He absolutely refuses to let it go until the man who assaulted you pays for what he's done. What could I say to him? I've thought about it a lot, and if I were in Mulder's place, I wouldn't rest until that bastard got what was coming to him." 

"Got what was coming to him..." Alex whispered. "What does that mean?" 

"He didn't go into detail, and I really thought it best that I not know." 

"If it had happened to him," Alex reasoned, "I'd never be able to make that fucker be dead enough. Jesus, what if Fox is out there to...why else would he go all the way across the country?" 

"Maybe you shouldn't ask yourself such questions," Skinner advised. 

"I have to." He turned a frightened gaze to Skinner. "I understand how he feels. But he's out there alone. So much could happen to him." He turned frightened eyes to Skinner. "I can't let anything happen to him." 

"He'll be all right, Alex. Mulder is well able to take care of himself..." 

While Skinner talked, Alex paced. Seconds later, he snatched up the phone and tried Fox's cell number. All he got was the voice mail message. 

"He's not answering," Alex said softly, then paced a few more steps before stopping to snatch up the phone book. 

"Who're you calling?" 

"Airport." 

"What for?" 

"For the next flight out to L.A." 

"Krycek, wait." 

"For what? For something to happen to him?" 

"Krycek, you're not thinking rationally. Mulder's going to call you. And when he keeps getting no answer, he's going to call me. And when he gets no answer there..." 

"Why wouldn't he get an answer from you?" Alex asked quickly. 

"Because if you insist on going out there, I'm going with you." 

"No, you're not. I'll find him myself." 

"In your state? No. I'm going with you whether you like it or not." 

"You're a little late with the concern bit, Skinner," Alex rasped. "You should have been concerned when Fox told you about this. You should have made him stay. Or if you couldn't, you should have told me, so I could've put a stop to it." 

"Whether you choose to believe it or not, I am concerned. About the both of you," Skinner argued. "And if you insist on going out there, I will not let you go alone." 

Alex simply glared at the other man. 

"But listen to this," Skinner reasoned. "If Mulder calls you, which he will, and then calls me, and he gets no answer from either of us, he's going to hop the first flight back home, you know he is. And what'll happen? You'll end up missing each other. Now, does that make any sense to do?" 

Alex blew out a desperate sigh. 

"I can't just sit here," he replied, his voice taking on a softer, more anxious edge. "I have to do something." 

"I don't see any other choice at the moment," Skinner informed the younger man. "Give him a little time." 

"Time..." Alex paced slowly, talking to himself. "What if there's no time left? Jesus Christ," he whispered. "My fault. It's all my..." 

Skinner slid to the edge of the sofa, struggling to hear the younger man's pained whispers. 

"Krycek...Alex. None of what happened to you that night is your fault. You were at home, minding your own business..." 

"My business," Alex said flatly, "is what started it. If I'd never been out in L.A. whoring, there'd be no one for Fox to be hunting down." He turned back to Skinner. "What if he does find him?" 

Skinner answered with telling silence. 

"Jesus Christ." Alex dropped heavily into the chair he'd vacated earlier, and buried his face in his hands. 

After a long silence, he lifted his head and focused a glassy-eyed stare on the floor between them. 

"I'd thought about finding and killing him myself. But after a while it...I don't know, I just stopped. Fox had talked about getting information on his whereabouts from Scully, and I begged him to leave it alone. I wanted to forget it." He looked away. "I just wanted to forget." 

"Mulder couldn't forget," Skinner murmured. "He loves you with a passion I've rarely seen, and he couldn't live with allowing what that man did to you to go unanswered." 

"There were a few instances where he's felt as though he's failed me," Alex explained in a rough whisper. 

"All the more reason, then, for him to not let this go," Skinner replied almost as softly. 

Alex nodded. "I'd grown so tired," he said flatly. "Weary of always having to watch my own back. Sick to death of the kind of life I'd led for so many years. Fox saw how tired I was. He wanted to take care of me. He asked me to trust him and...and just let go. It was hard to do at first, though I wanted to so much. But I...I think I learned," he said in a tone laced with uncertainty. "And every time something bad happened, he took it to heart. Placed all the blame on himself for not being able to prevent it. 

"Nothing was his fault." His eyelids lowered halfway, and his voice took on a soft, adoring tone. "He's been so good to me...attentive and sweet and..." His eyes rose to the other man's face, willing him to understand. "...perfect." 

Not knowing what to say, Skinner sat quietly and let Alex go on. 

"It's not right. I've put him through so much, and he's still in hell. He doesn't deserve this. Any of it. If I could go back and change it, I would. I wouldn't come back with him. I'd make him forget me and come back to his life." 

"It was out of your hands and his, the first day he saw you out there," Skinner informed the younger man. "This thing between you...this relationship...it's beyond logic or control. It's your destiny to be together. Fate, Alex, will not let you be apart." 

"It would put him through the shit he's suffered?" 

"Somehow I'm sure Mulder doesn't see it that way." 

Alex again threw himself out of his seat. 

"He's in Los Angeles looking for a man who'd drugged and fucked me in his bed," he growled through clenched teeth. "And if he finds him, he'll kill him. You don't think that's shit?" 

"Yes," Skinner hissed. "As far as I'm concerned, it's some of the worst kind of shit. But you don't know for absolutely sure what he intends to do any more than I do. Now, I think you would do well to stop speculating." His tone gentled. "I'm so sorry that you have to go through this, but good things are waiting for you both and the other end. Trust Mulder to take you to them." 

"I can't..." Alex sighed. "I can't think that far ahead. All I can think of right now is how afraid I am of what's going on out there. And how much I wish he would call and tell me that he's all right." Alex walked over to the window then looked down at his watch. Shifting his focus to the view, he pounded his fist lightly and repeatedly on the sill. 

"Come on, Fox. Please call me." 

* * *

Almost three hours and nothing. 

Fox had scrutinized every sorry bastard who'd approached him, and no one fit the description of the man in the photo. 

As he sat wondering how long he could stay out here before seriously jeopardizing his sanity as well as Alex's, someone tapped his shoulder. He looked up, and his pulse immediately began to race. 

Dead man at two o'clock. 

Quickly resuming his cool, he fixed a steely gaze on the other man. 

"Yeah?" 

"Hey, pretty eyes. How'd you like a little company?" 

The golden-brown head cocked to one side. 

"My companionship isn't free." 

"I didn't think it was," the other answered, taking a sip from the paper bag covered bottle he held. "Don't worry, I got cash," he assured Fox, now staring at the succulent lips. "Anybody ever tell you that you got the sexiest mouth goin'?" 

"Yeah. And everybody who has was looking for something." 

"Yeah? Like what?" 

"The blowjob of their lives." 

The man moistened his lips at the thought and took a drink. 

"And did they get it?" 

"That's what they said...after they came to." 

"Fuck. How much?" 

"Hundred." 

"Damn." 

"If you don't agree with my price, move on. I'm sure there are plenty other guys out here who'll do it for less." 

"Yeah, but none of them have a mouth that looks like yours. Shit. Okay. Okay, let's go." He thrust the bag at Fox. "Want some?" 

"No." 

He shrugged, took another long swallow then started to move away. 

Fox rose from his seat and sauntered along behind the man as he limped down the street. Fists jammed into his pockets, he willed himself to remain calm. One wrong move, and he could scare the asshole away. He needed to get him alone. And then... 

"You know, you look familiar." 

"...Yeah?" 

"Yeah. Somethin' about you." The man laughed. "Probably seen you in my dreams." 

Christ, is this the corny shit Alex put up with night after night? 

They reached a rundown building only a few blocks away from where Fox had been, and he looked around, surveying the place as they approached the door. They entered the building, and the man led the way to another door in the dilapidated hall marked with the number three, in what looked like magic marker. He unlocked the door and entered first, Fox following slowly as he looked around. Once inside, he shut the door and leaned against it, watching the other man smile broadly. 

"God*damn* you're pretty. You know how hard it is to find somethin' other than skinny, greasy little shits out there? You must be kinda new around here." 

Fox crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the other man. 

"You mean there's nobody else around here who would give me a run for my money? Maybe I should go up a little on my prices." 

"Hey," the other laughed. "Forget I said it." 

"Seriously, is there nobody else out here who attracts a lot of business?" 

"Nope. Used to be, but he's gone." He stopped then started again, almost smiling at the memory. 

"Gorgeous bastard. Dark hair and the greenest eyes I ever seen. Different mouth than yours, but still really nice. He was a fuckin' demon, though." 

"How so?" 

"He was just..." The man paused as he started to undo his jeans. "...He was an evil fucker. Did a number on some people. He gave me this limp." 

" _Really_. For no reason?" 

"None that I could see," the man lied. "The dude was just nasty. People like that get what's comin' to 'em, though." He dropped his pants and underwear and sat down on the sagging bed in the middle of the room, spreading his legs. "Come here, baby. On your knees." 

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Fox asked, removing his jacket and shirt, but not moving an inch toward the other man. 

"Oh yeah." 

Reaching down into his pants, the man counted off several bills and laid them on the bed beside him. When Fox still made no move toward him, he sighed and pulled a condom out of the same pocket. When he'd pulled it from its enclosure and rolled it onto his cock, he smiled and crooked his index finger at the other. 

" _Now_. Get over here. I want to see those pretty lips wrapped around my dick in the next twenty seconds." 

"Well," Fox said softly, reaching down to lift one leg of his jeans. "That's really too bad." 

The man on the bed released a horrified gasp as a gun was suddenly pointed directly at his head. 

"What...what the fuck are you doing?" 

Fox stepped closer, changing his aim to the man's crotch and his quickly deflating cock. 

"What's your name?" 

"Uh...A...A.J." 

"Let me introduce myself, A.J. My name is Fox. And I want something from you." 

"What?" A.J. croaked, shaking violently. "Just tell me what, man. You can have whatever." 

Fox nodded and stood calmly before the other man, again aiming at his head. 

"Retribution." 

"For what? I don't even know you!" 

"That's true. But you've fucked around with someone I love very much." 

"What? Who?" 

"The evil bastard who gave you that limp." 

And suddenly it came to him. 

"Shit. Oh, shit, shit, shit." 

"Yes?" 

"The picture. There was a picture of the two of you on the dresser." 

Golden-brown eyebrows arched sharply. "Oh? So, you have seen me before?" 

"Listen man, I'm sorry. That chick. That redheaded chick made me do it. I didn't want to..." He began to sob as Fox released the safety on his weapon. "No, please! I didn't wanna, I swear." 

"You're a lying piece of shit, you know that A.J.?" 

"I'm not lyin', man, I swear to Christ." 

"And sacrilegious to boot." Fox shook his head. "For shame." 

The half naked man had no time for any more argument. Fox was on him in an instant. Securing his weapon, he used the butt of it to inflict a vicious beating on him. And he didn't stop until nothing short of dental records or DNA tests would identify him. 

Drawing himself up to his full height, Fox cast a cold glare down at the dead man. 

It was done. He hadn't failed Alex. Not this time. His lover had been horribly wronged, and he'd taken care of it. His only regrets were that punishment hadn't come more swiftly, and that he'd never be able to find the dead bastard's shutterbug friend. He'd hoped that they'd have been together, but he was a reasonable man, and he realized he couldn't have everything. At least he'd gotten the son of a bitch who'd actually raped Alex. That, he told himself was the most important thing. 

Slowly, he turned away from the still form on the bed and walked into the bathroom. After he'd finished removing all traces of the man's blood from himself and the sink, he put his shirt and jacket on and moved back toward the bed. Taking the man's wallet and the money he'd left, Fox slipped unseen out of the room and the building. 

* * *

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